Charlestown Navy Yard
Charlestown
www.ussconstitutionmuseum.org
Inside
tips
Listed as the oldest commissioned
warship, the USS Constitution rarely leaves port yet is
just as busy as any ship in the U.S. Navy. As a focal point for
history buffs and a popular site with tour groups, the ship
echoes with voices from morning ‘til night. Naval officers
assigned to duty at Charlestown Navy Yard, conduct guided tours
at regular intervals throughout the day. Unless the crowds get
too huge to maintain a schedule of tours, the only way to get on
board is stand on line. It’s worth the wait.
Although most of the Constitution,
with the exception of the hull, is gone, the reconstruction is
authentic. The tour begins on the spar deck and descends below
to the next two decks: the gun deck and the berthing deck.
Cannons, hammocks, sick bay, captain’s quarters – it’s all
here just as it was when she was launched in 1794. The Constitution
was one of six ships authorized by the new U.S. Congress when it
established the U.S. Navy. Today, after her long service sailing
the seas of the world, the Constitution is docked in
Boston Harbor. Nicknamed "Old Ironsides" after a
cannonball bounced harmlessly off her hull during the War of
1812, she is now a reminder of our American heritage.
Although elementary school
textbooks often carry an illustration of the Constitution,
they don’t do it justice. Bigger than expected, neatly trimmed
and freshly painted, you’ll be greeted by crisply uniformed
naval personnel, and others in period costumes. On the spar
deck, learn about the size and workings of the cannons, and hear
descriptions of the "powder monkeys", young boys who
were conscripted to carry powder to the cannon crews. Below,
more cannons, the galley, the water supply (and grog tub),
captain and guest quarters are on the gun deck. Below that, on
the berthing deck, is a wide-open space where once hung the 250
hammocks of the crew. Since the ship carried a crew of 450-500
at any given time, the men were forced to sleep in shifts. Sick
bay and officer’s quarters are also on this deck. As you walk,
stooping if you are over 5’4", imagine how it would feel
and smell to sleep so far below decks with over 200 other men.
Across the Navy Yard is the
Constitution Museum - run by a private organization and where
there is sometimes an admission charge. In the museum, it’s
apparent that the adventures of the Constitution didn’t
exist in just one moment in time. She plied the seas for about
100 years, took part in military and diplomatic missions, and
has left a long and useful history. Some original documents are
on display. The museum’s phone is 617-426-1812.
For information about the USS Constitution,
call the National Park Service at the Visitor’s Center on
State Street – (617) 242-5642.
Hours:
Daily 9:30 – 5
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas,
New Year’s Day
Admission:
Free
